LGBTQ+ community calls
for Canadian action in Africa
(Ottawa) LGBTQ+ activists in Canada say the federal government should do more to combat a movement that is organizing in Africa to suppress the rights of sexual and gender minorities, while remaining cautious when addressing these issues in public.
"We are silenced," said Alex Kofi Donkor, founder of LGBT+ Rights Ghana, during a recent visit to Ottawa.
Ghana has banned all homosexual acts since British rule. Human Rights Watch says LGBTQ+ people
in the country face a climate of fear and violence.
Donkor, 33, tried to change that reality a few years ago by starting a blog. Its purpose: to document human rights issues.
A little later, the medical researcher wanted to go even further by launching his organization to raise awareness among the media and politicians about LGBTQ+ issues. He opened his first physical office in January 2021, but police raided him a month later and ordered it closed.
In August 2021, Ghanaian politicians began debating a bill to ban gender-affirming care and allow
the imprisonment of people who promote LGBTQ+ activities.
Earlier this month, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met with Ghana's President Nana Akufo-Addo, but did not discuss the bill.
But Donkor said Trudeau made the right choice. He recalled that taking too strong a position
could have fed the idea that the West imposes its values on Africa.
"There are times when we need outside support, but others or we don't," he said.
American controversyIn March, Ghana's presidential palace was illuminated in the colors of the Ghanaian and American flags to mark the visit of U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris.
However, the combination of the colors of the two flags has led some opponents of LGBTQ+ rights to warn that the United States is trying to impose its vision of things.
Then, at a press conference,Ms. Harris was invited to comment on the bill by an American journalist. She called it a "human rights issue."
"It led people to say that we had to move even faster to pass the bill, because the U.S. came to dictate its values to us," Donkor said.
"Today, we still have to fix the damage," he lamented.
Several ideasMany newcomers to Canada argue that they have a key role to play in addressing the repression of LGBTQ+ rights in their home countries because they understand local culture and politics. In doing so, however, they expose themselves to negative reactions from their relatives.
At a panel on this topic this week in Ottawa, several organizations came to present their ideas on how Western countries can defend the rights of LGBTQ+ people abroad, without risking unintentional harm to the cause.
One way would be to acknowledge that some groups opposed to this community in Africa receive funding from Western countries, including the United States.
"We are dealing with a well-funded and well-coordinated international movement against the rights of 2SLGBTQ+ people, women and all other oppressed people. This same level of coordination and funding will be needed to address this issue," said Debbie Owusu-Akyeeah, Director of the Canadian Centre for Gender and Sexual Diversity.
As for Mr. Donkor, he returns to Ghana this Saturday, despite death threats that would likely give him a chance to claim refugee status in Canada. He hoped, however, that his country would be able to embrace diversity.
Donkor believes Canada can play a role in improving the situation of LGBTQ+ people in his country,
but Ghanaians will need to take the first steps.
"We're going to tell you what we need," he said.
"We are silenced," said Alex Kofi Donkor, founder of LGBT+ Rights Ghana, during a recent visit to Ottawa.
Ghana has banned all homosexual acts since British rule. Human Rights Watch says LGBTQ+ people
in the country face a climate of fear and violence.
Donkor, 33, tried to change that reality a few years ago by starting a blog. Its purpose: to document human rights issues.
A little later, the medical researcher wanted to go even further by launching his organization to raise awareness among the media and politicians about LGBTQ+ issues. He opened his first physical office in January 2021, but police raided him a month later and ordered it closed.
In August 2021, Ghanaian politicians began debating a bill to ban gender-affirming care and allow
the imprisonment of people who promote LGBTQ+ activities.
Earlier this month, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met with Ghana's President Nana Akufo-Addo, but did not discuss the bill.
But Donkor said Trudeau made the right choice. He recalled that taking too strong a position
could have fed the idea that the West imposes its values on Africa.
"There are times when we need outside support, but others or we don't," he said.
American controversyIn March, Ghana's presidential palace was illuminated in the colors of the Ghanaian and American flags to mark the visit of U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris.
However, the combination of the colors of the two flags has led some opponents of LGBTQ+ rights to warn that the United States is trying to impose its vision of things.
Then, at a press conference,Ms. Harris was invited to comment on the bill by an American journalist. She called it a "human rights issue."
"It led people to say that we had to move even faster to pass the bill, because the U.S. came to dictate its values to us," Donkor said.
"Today, we still have to fix the damage," he lamented.
Several ideasMany newcomers to Canada argue that they have a key role to play in addressing the repression of LGBTQ+ rights in their home countries because they understand local culture and politics. In doing so, however, they expose themselves to negative reactions from their relatives.
At a panel on this topic this week in Ottawa, several organizations came to present their ideas on how Western countries can defend the rights of LGBTQ+ people abroad, without risking unintentional harm to the cause.
One way would be to acknowledge that some groups opposed to this community in Africa receive funding from Western countries, including the United States.
"We are dealing with a well-funded and well-coordinated international movement against the rights of 2SLGBTQ+ people, women and all other oppressed people. This same level of coordination and funding will be needed to address this issue," said Debbie Owusu-Akyeeah, Director of the Canadian Centre for Gender and Sexual Diversity.
As for Mr. Donkor, he returns to Ghana this Saturday, despite death threats that would likely give him a chance to claim refugee status in Canada. He hoped, however, that his country would be able to embrace diversity.
Donkor believes Canada can play a role in improving the situation of LGBTQ+ people in his country,
but Ghanaians will need to take the first steps.
"We're going to tell you what we need," he said.
